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When Reiko walked away, she turned around to walk backwards a few steps.

Mari had already turned back toward him and didn’t see her friend give him two enthusiastic thumbs up.

“Sorry about that.” Mari stepped closer and lowered her voice and her eyes. “She’s been trying to get me out of the house for fun for months. I’m too much of a homebody these days.”

As she said the words, she picked up another menu from the counter and sat down.

Buck sat down beside her and smiled.

Watching as she poured over the menu.

She looked distracted and he had a feeling it was about her friend.

Reiko meant well.

He could tell that in an instant.

There was a closeness between the two women that he could see just by watching them. Reiko called Mari cuz like Kawehi and Maile called each other.

If it wasn’t because of actual family ties, they were likely close because they grew up together.

Something he had wished for when he was younger.

Now, the people closest to him were his team.

The thought should have comforted him, but it only brought up the faces of the people they’d lost.

That turned his stomach.

Shit.

“What are you having?” He felt Mari’s hand on his arm again and found her gaze with his own.

Damn, she was beautiful.

“Huh?”

“What did you order?”

He should have been able to say the words, but instead he could only stare at her.

Kawehi piped up to help him, telling Mari what he’d ordered.

She grinned at him. “Brown rice, huh? That’s two healthy for me.” Mari handed the menu back to Kawehi. “Loco Moco. Egg over. But can I have it with chili instead of the gravy?”

Kawehi gave her a wink. “Absolutely. That sounds delicious.” Before she disappeared into the kitchen Kawehi looked at him. “Go ahead and get her whatever she wants to drink. You know where everything is.”

It was true. He did.

Turning to Mari, he smiled. “What can I get you?”

He wondered if he’d caught her unawares. She looked at him, her lips parted, her eyes slightly wider than they’d been a moment before.

“Just tell me what you want,” he gestured at the bar, “I’ll get it for you.”

She didn’t speak for a long moment and then, as he sat there looking at her, her gaze lowered and he was fairly sure she was looking at his mouth.

That whole joke about him being stiff wasn’t a joke anymore.